Beyond - Legends "Sernpidal's Amethyst" (NJO AU; SkySolos, Psylocke, etc.; concluded 10/12)

A good beginning, showing a good story and angle on the Sernpidal incident - I did not recognise the planet until some way into the story.

Good characterisations for Han, Chewie, and your X-Men girl's interactions with them.

Interesting, how she relayed the story telepathically to the gang, but after that was over, her continued connections to multiple SW central figures triggered a filter.

9/10 for the Sernpidal-based stuff. One point lost as I'm not clear how Chewie was rescued with the 'Falcon speeding off.

 

Sith-I-5: Thank you. I've been meaning to finish this story for a while, but I need to actually take time to do so ...

AFA Chewie's rescue, Psylocke pulled him aboard with Force-telekinesis just as it was lifting off; it was an untrained reaction by her, since she didn't realize she had the Force until landing on Sernpidal).

- Thanks again,
Onderon1.

 

A/N: Ah ... yeah. Finishing this ... It might be a good idea.

That said, I've got to work on the final chapter; apologies this scene is so short - but it's critical for future Kylo Skywalker stuff ...

Also, apologies there's no Betsy in this one. She has a much bigger role in this 'fic's conclusion, though ...

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Chapter 39: 27.2 ABY:
Solo Apartment,
Coruscant:
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"They're kidding!" Rey insisted - there was no WAY the Vong were getting in-system, this was Coruscant!

But they DID hit Bilbringi and Borleais ... she remembered, getting more serious as she carried Ben - he was heavy, now, at 5 months, but at least he stayed quiet as she and Kylo made their way toward the turbolift.

Kylo shrugged - typical boy, more Gamorrean-headed than he should be, even if he was better with telekinesis.

"The dumb Vong've beaten us at every other corner. And they're Force-resistant. We've gotta be smarter and tougher," he said, standing tall as they rounded a corner - Rey tried to stop him, she sensed someone there and six not there.

It was too late, though - Senator Shesh was standing there, with six maintenance workers whose skin didn't really fit.

"Children. This is ... unexpectedly fortuitous," Senator Shesh said, smiling way too happily for someone who didn't like Jedi.

Some of the "workers" laughed in a mean way, and Ben whimpered - but Kylo gritted his teeth and said, "There's no luck."

"There's the Force - ALL of it."

Rey tried not to scream as her triplet brother swelled with ANGER - Ben started to cry, and she hid his face against her shoulder as she looked away; she would've fought, too, but she had to protect her little brother.

All Rey heard for sure was a LOT of shouting, grunting, lightsaber slashing, and then a woman's shout - then, she looked.

The "workers" were Yuuzhan Vong - all dead, and Rey didn't look too closely; Kylo's coverall was torn in spots, but not bad.

Senator Shesh was holding her hand, which looked badly burned, and she was pale - shock, Rey thought from Master Cilghal's lessons back on Yavin.

"Y-you're only 9 standard years! But you fought like a - a -" the Senator stammered, taking a step back as Kylo got closer.

"I'm a Skywalker. You don't mess with my family," Kylo growled, jabbing his lightsaber at Shesh, as he grabbed his comlink.

She frowned, then spun and threw some kind of bug, one of the Vong ones, at a corner window, as air rushed in.

"When you call for help, little boy, remember - I chose my own path. Your precious energy field had NOTHING to do with it," she sneered.

Rey tried not to gasp as the Senator stepped outside - but Kylo shut off his lightsaber (and why doesn't it have a bondar crystal, it should've just stunned them?! Rey suddenly realized) and took her gently by the shoulder, as Ben babbled.

"We gotta go. Now, Rey," Kylo said, and Rey could only nod.

Once they were safe aboard the Falcon, running toward Mom and Dad and Artoo, she tried to forget what she'd seen.

The worse part wasn't the Vong, so much - Rey had seen awful stuff during her time on Jakku.

But ... while he was nice to her and Ben, Rey wondered if Kylo wasn't scarier than the Vong.

***********************

to be concluded ...

 

Great to see more of this.

I totally squee whenever I see it lit up on page one. Seriously. I am not kidding.

 

Thank you. I'll try to finish this story this week - I keep meaning to move to the third story in this NJO AU trilogy, but I've been ridiculously busy ...

 

A/N: Well, to all things ...

That's certainly not to say that my return to this 'verse is done, by any measure - I just need time to work on the third part of this NJO trilogy.

But, for now, it's time to give the stage back to a certain purple-haired Force-sensitive mutant telepath, and the New Republic's last hour before the GA ...

And, yes, there's a cameo by a certain pesky little bird in here ...

---------------------------------

"... I only know that this is something we have to do. That we have to do!"

"Irene Adler and Raven Darkholme undoubtedly said much the same, when they started."

"They didn't turn away, darling. Can we? We're fighting for the highest stakes there are, Neal, the future. Weighed in that balance, our own fate, our very lives, they're nothing."

- Neal "Thunderbird III" Shaara and Betsy "Psylocke" Braddock,
discussing the commitment to the hero's path,

X-Treme X-Men (Vol 1), issue 1

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Conclusion: 27.2 ABY:
Hapan -Controlled Space,
Mid Rim:
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"Of all the bloody headstrong, RECKLESS - ! A DROID-PILOTED SHIP packed with BARADIUM would've sufficed, but NOOOOO!"

Betsy was LIVID as she paced the deck of the Falcon's rear hold, alone with Luke - she'd barely made it back from Hutt Space in time to rendezvous with the Solos as they picked up the Skywalker children, then Luke, Mara, and Artoo, as the Vong fleet seized Coruscant.

Had I not been helping Ahsoka and Rotta coordinate Hutt defenses, I'd've taken a fully-trained strike team to Myrkr - not sent teens to DIE, she thought.

Mara was resting with the children, making sure they were as all right as they could be; Han and Leia were awaiting word on Jaina and the other survivors of the strike team - Leia was practically beside herself, although her composure was as strong as ever, and the Falcon and the Jade Sabre rested on a landing pad outside of the Hapan capital.

Luke's own facade was showing signs of cracking, and Betsy felt a flash of apology at her fury - she could sense his guilt, mixed with determination.

"A droid-piloted ship packed with baradium would've drawn Yuuzhan Vong fighters, Betsy. Do I wish I could've sent other, older Knights? Do I regret - losing my nephews? Not knowing whether Tahiri's alive or not? Of course. But the voxyn needed stopping. If we'd had time for other options -" Luke said.

Betsy's sigh cut him off, and she muttered, "I know, Luke ... I'm as angry at myself as I am at anyone else. I suppose I'd grown over-reliant on my precognition, which, if I'd listened to Yoda's warning to you, I'd've heeded it. 'Always in motion the future is,' indeed."

Luke managed a weak smile. "We never actually felt Anakin die - vanish from our ability to sense him in the Force? Yes, but he was with Tahiri. After Fondor, Yavin, and Yag'Dhul ... I won't give up hope just yet," he said, and Betsy nodded; she'd sensed the same wrenching feelings the Skywalkers and Leia had.

But Jacen ... well, who knows for certain? Leia doesn't think he's dead, and with all of Jean's ability to sense her children's statuses, I'll put my money on the Princess' intuition, Betsy hoped.

She sat on a bench along the outer hull, finally asking, "What do you need me to do? Guard the children?"

Luke shook his head, sitting near her as he concentrated deeply. "Mara and I agreed, it's well past time we sent Kylo, Rey, and Ben to Eclipse. After the near-success of Viqi Shesh's kidnap attempt, we need to ensure the children are safe - and that Kylo's somewhere he can receive steady help, from child care experts. If it weren't wartime, Mara and I'd go too - our eldest son needs us to help him find the right path - but the war effort needs us, also," he lamented.

He looked at Betsy - giving the far hatch a glance - then lowered his voice and said, "Jaina and the others infiltrated a cloning facility, Betsy. I'm confident we can tell whether they're really themselves, even the Yuuzhan Vong would have a problem getting around clone madness - but with the doubt surrounding whether Anakin's really dead ... he and Tahiri represented hope, INSPIRATION, to the younger Jedi and the public. We need to know their fates."

Betsy nodded, growing determined - with Coruscant lost, the Jedi, the galaxy, needed all the help - and hope - they could get.

"I'll pick someone from among the strike team as a backup, then start looking for Anakin and Tahiri," she agreed, blinking at a sudden motion.

Luke smiled with surprise as a small, brown-and-white avian waddled into the hold, impossibly wide eyes taking in the Jedi, as the bird squawked softly.

"A Porg! But they're native to Ahch-To, out among the old Jedi Fortress Worlds along the border with the Tion - how'd you get here, little guy?" Luke asked, picking up the terribly cute bird and gently scratching its' head.

"Must've hitched a ride when the Solos picked you and Mara up at the Senate District Zoo," Betsy guessed, grinning despite herself.

If this Porg could've escaped Coruscant, then there's still hope of finding Anakin and Tahiri - and maybe even Jacen, the telepath considered.

The Porg hopped over to Betsy, who petted it gently, as she and Luke exchanged determined smiles.

As my twin Brian once told me, it's our inning now ... and the Yuuzhan Vong, I'm quite sure, have never played cricket before ... much less against ME.

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- continued in Maelstroms: http://boards.theforce.net/threads/...-t-more-post-sbs-njo-finished-12-27.50042496/

And, later this year in The Collected Books of Yun-Bantha ...